The Beggar They Mocked Owns the City

Chapter 2

Hearing the knocks, Callum hastily stood up to open the door. A plump, middle-aged woman with black stockings stood before him.

“Oh, hi, Ma’am, you’re here.” Seeing the middle-aged woman, who was his landlady, Callum was surprised for a while before he greeted her with a smile.

“Let me get straight to the point, Callum. You didn’t even answer my call just now. Tell me, when are you paying rent? You’re three months overdue!” the middle-aged woman growled fiercely.

“Um, about that… I’ll get my pay in two days, so can you just wait until then?” Callum asked in a low voice.

“Two more days?” The landlady sneered before she started yelling. “I’ve already extended the deadline solely because you’re a student! We agreed on paying rent monthly, but you’ve dragged your feet for three whole months! You want two more days? Are you out of your mind?”

Callum was helpless in front of his landlady. A week ago, he had spent all his savings on a birthday present for Carol, so he currently had no money to pay for the rent.

“I really don’t have any money on me right now. I swear I will pay you in two days!” Callum said, embarrassed.

“I am not in the mood for such nonsense! If you don’t pay up today, you can pack your bags right now!” the landlady screamed as her puffy cheeks trembled with every word.

Callum did not know how to defend himself. He only responded with a sheepish expression. For heaven’s sake, I am penniless!

Bang!

Just then, someone pushed open the door to the room beside Callum’s. A pretty woman in black, lace sleepwear came out. As she rubbed her eyes out of annoyance, she confronted the two as she squealed, “What’s all the screaming for?! I need my beauty sleep!”

The middle-aged woman immediately changed her attitude when she saw her and explained the situation with a smile. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Maxwell. This kid won’t pay his rent, so I’m asking him to do so right now.”

The woman tilted her head and studied Callum for a while. Then, she asked in a soft voice, “How much does he owe you?”

“Not much, actually. Just rent for three months, which totals up to 600.” The middle-aged woman forced a laugh.

“It’s just only 600. Do you have to shout so loudly about it?” The beautiful woman frowned.

“It’s because he kept asking for an extension on the deadline. He refuses to pay…” the middle-aged woman explained, feeling a little awkward.

“Fine, I’ll pay his rent, so stop shouting already!” The beauty hugged her shoulders as she spoke coldly.

“Thank you, Miss Maxwell! Thank you so much!”

The middle-aged woman responded happily, then turned to Callum. “Kid, you’re lucky that Miss Maxwell helped pay your rent. If you do this again, I won’t forgive you so easily!”

“I will pay on time next month,” Callum said in a low voice.

The landlady gave him a death glare and turned around to leave. Only after the woman left did Callum raise his head to look at the beauty clad in sleepwear standing at the door. Even though he had lived here for a while, it was his first time seeing this beautiful neighbor of his at close range.

She was an alluring, delicate beauty. Her eyebrows were perfect. Her eyes were a lovely dark color, and her lips seemed to be kissed by cherry blossoms. Perhaps it was because of her disturbed rest that her shiny, black hair was slightly disheveled. The black, lace sleepwear exposed much of her supple, exquisite skin. Her long slender legs were bare, and her sensual figure was unusually attractive.

Callum had taken a deep breath before talking to her. “Thank you. Actually, I—”

“No need. I’m just buying myself some peace for 600…” She interrupted Callum’s sentence, a little irritated.

“Um, when I get my pay, I’ll return the money ASAP. Right, your name—”

Bang!

Callum did not even get to finish his sentence before the beautiful neighbor walked back into her room and shut the door.

Callum felt a little awkward as he stood where he was. Perhaps 600 meant nothing to this woman, but to Callum, it was a large sum. Since she did not have any intention of talking to him, Callum decided to close his door as quietly as possible.

Ring!

Just then, Callum’s phone rang.

He picked it up and answered the call, then said in a weak voice, “Hello, who is this?”

“Mr. Bowman, did you get the notification about the money I just transferred into your account?” The middle-aged man’s voice rang out once again.

“The money you transferred?”

Callum was silent, and then he remembered the message he had received earlier.

“Yes, I know you might think I’m a scammer, so I had some money transferred to prove that I am serious. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the bank and take a look.”

Callum immediately hung up and grabbed his debit card before he made his way to the nearest bank. When he saw the numbers displayed on the ATM screen, he was dumbfounded. That man really wasn’t kidding! He actually put five million into my account!

“It… It’s there!”

Faced with such a huge number, Callum thought he must be in a dream. His right hand shakingly took out his phone and dialed the unfamiliar number.

The middle-aged man was quick to answer the phone as he chuckled. “Mr. Bowman, do you believe me now?”

“Who… Who on earth are you? Why would you give me so much money?” Callum asked, puzzled.

“Mr. Bowman, if you have time now, you can meet me on the twenty-seventh floor of Triton Center. I will explain the details in person,” the middle-aged man said slowly.

While gripping his phone, Callum hesitated as he said in a low tone, “I’ll meet you right now!”

“Understood, Mr. Bowman.”

The man hung up courteously. Callum withdrew 500 at the ATM and hailed a cab, then headed to Triton Center. Callum still was unsure about the money, so he withdrew only 500. If any trouble popped up, he had a chance to make it up later.